Problems with no initrd, kernel compile, ide-detect
 

Hi there,

ive installed debian-testing with the new installer. most of it works ok.
the thingie i am working on at the moment is a new kernel.

i want to compile a kernel without initrd. ive made it so far, that i am able to boot my system (FS not as module, IDE stuff not as module neither).

now my questions:

1. at boot i get the message "ide-detect" module not found or something like this. do i have to compile this one into the kernel as well? where do i find this option in menuconfig?

2. i want these nice small fonts (vga=791) for my console. do i have to compile the VESA driver into the kernel as well? (console stuff, too?)

3. until what module i have to compile into the kernel and not as a module when i dont want to use initrd? (e.g. IDE i have to include into the kernel, GRAFICS not sure, and so on)

4. is there a way to find out which module (lsmod) refers to which compile option within .config?

thx for help

1. havn't heard about this one. maybe it's coming from the base-install-set from debian and wasn't removed.
2. pass vga=ask at the lilo-prompt. you have to use a vga-mode selectable kernel for this (vga). i think frambuffer gives you a vesa+additional modes, but i have never liked that- seems to use just resorces. there is svgatextmode, but it's ?outdated by now.? does anybody use that??
3. you will NEED ide or scsi since there are the modules located you want to load ;-). you don't need graphic/sound/usb and such stuff. anyway i don't like building modular kernels if i don't change sys often (little bit more performace).
4. ? use the source luk.. äh blockme. (hint: the names are often a clear cut)

sl mritch

thx for help.

1. havent found this module yet... its a module though (lsmod says this at least)... yes ive installed the system via the new installer and want to upgrade from 2.6.3 to 2.6.5

2. i am using grub atm. i am able to pass vga=791 as a parameter, too. the question was about the drivers. i was unsure if they can be loaded as a module, because the console output is needed when you turn your PC on... not sure when linux console loads, (before or after linux mounts the filesystem)

3. only PCI / SCSI and such a stuff related to the board? (IDE, ATAPI, etc.) nothing else? thx. will try.

4. couldnt find it. the name of the module is IDE_DETECT and i wasnt able to find this within .config (you meant this with source?)

thanks for fast reply!
blockme

1/4 it's a module. but i don't know if it is used by the system general or just by the debian installer. i removed all debain-install packets from my sys, but did a non-standard install, so i'm not sure about that. upgrading to 2.6.6 or 7 won't be a prob. but get your system known before donin' so.
are your ide-drives detected all right at bootup? if so, what's the exact message about that missing module?

2 i can't say. i only use those vga=5 to get a smaller font but don't use anything else. if you got that penguin at bootup, you are using the frambuffer driver and you will sure need it compiled in - i don't think you have the option to modulize it. have you?

forget about that source for now;-)

my ide-drives get detected at boot time. doesnt matter if i have this ide-detect enabled or not. linux will boot anyways. so i guess you could be right about this installer thingie. i will try to deinstall all installation packages. thx for hint.

i tried to include the framebuffer modules (vesa / vga) as modules not into the kernel. i got a black screen. so i will try to include them into the kernel at next compile. maybe this helps. because of this i couldnt check my nice tuxedos at boottime ;-)